Printing problems - HP Officejet Pro 8100

[Beancounter]

My printer, an HP Officejet Pro 8100, is not printing pages correctly. The printer cycles through the motions and I get a printed page which has very little print on it and any print I do get is quite distorted.

The ink cartridges are full according to the printer display but they are cheap cartridges from Amazon. Would switching to genuine cartridges make that much of a difference or should I consider a new printer?

[Rockburner]

My printer, an HP Officejet Pro 8100, is not printing pages correctly. The printer cycles through the motions and I get a printed page which has very little print on it and any print I do get is quite distorted.

The ink cartridges are full according to the printer display but they are cheap cartridges from Amazon. Would switching to genuine cartridges make that much of a difference or should I consider a new printer?

Probably, and probably.

Printers these days are made as cheaply as possible - all the 'profit' for HP/Epson etc is in supplying inks at vastly inflated prices because a well built printer is a one-time purchase for most people - so obviously not a means to making profit....

I'm about to have a lot of fun trying to get an old Epson working again with new ink - I suspect the print-head is full of coagulated cheap ink at the moment.... fun fun fun.

[KungFooBob]

It used to be that the difference between HP and Epson was that on the HP the printhead was built into the cartridge, replace the cartridge and you replace the printhead.

On the old Epsons the printhead was fixed in the printer and the cartridge's are just ink tanks. that's why they were cheaper... until you left them for a month, then you would have to use half a tank of ink to clear them out.

I've just googled the 8100 and it looks like HP are using fixed heads. So the cartridge probably doesn't make a massive amount of difference. I'd keep running the head cleaning routine until it prints clear.

[DefTrap]

My HP OfficeJet 6700 performed horribly on cheaper (not even that cheap) ink cartridges - it''s pretty much faultless on the legit cartridges - and I've used loads over the years. I resented paying over 50quid a go on a full set of ink but I resent unnecessary maintenance overheads even more. I get all my ink on expenses anyway, so I don't need the hassle.

[Beancounter]

I've just googled the 8100 and it looks like HP are using fixed heads. So the cartridge probably doesn't make a massive amount of difference. I'd keep running the head cleaning routine until it prints clear.

I should have stated that in my opening post but didn't even know there was a difference until reading your post.

What is the head cleaning routine? FWIW, the printer belonged to my partner's ex. He gave it to us last year at the start of lockdown. Apart from a few connection issues it printed fine. Chewed through the genuine ink cartridge which we then replaced with cheap Amazon ones. We then had more connection issues and the printer sat unused for the best part of six months until last week. I replaced the black toner cartridge with a new but cheapo one. Connection issues resolved with the help of my IT department but poor quality prints.

My HP OfficeJet 6700 performed horribly on cheaper (not even that cheap) ink cartridges - it''s pretty much faultless on the legit cartridges - and I've used loads over the years. I resented paying over 50quid a go on a full set of ink but I resent unnecessary maintenance overheads even more. I get all my ink on expenses anyway, so I don't need the hassle.

It's £99 a pop for genuine cartridges on this printer and I can't claim them back. Admittedly I print documents for my own convenience as I find it easier than viewing on a screen, but I seem to recall being unimpressed at the cartridge running out so quickly.

**Edit** - forgot to mention, the black ink cartridge is very reluctant to pop out of the runner. The other three colour cartridges operate very smoothly in comparison.

[KungFooBob]

Does this help?

[Silly Car]

We’ve got the 8600 model which we’ve had for 7/8 years and we only every use the OEM cartridges in it, I found the XL option to be better Value but you are right, £100+ for a full set is a bit of a choker.

Can’t help with the problem but iirc there is a head cleaning option in the accompanying app.

[Beancounter]

Does this help?

Thank you and yes, I didn't (never) think to check Youtube. I thought it was going to be swapping out the ink cartridges for head cleaning cartridges or something, a la cleaning the heads on a tape deck.

[Beancounter]

Does this help?

That has made a massive improvement. Printed two returns labels, not perfect but adequate for their purposes. I'll try cleaning the heads again but today's problem has at least been solved.

[KungFooBob]

I didn't watch the video with sound so I don't know if it explains it, but if you open it on youtube the text tells you how to do three different levels of head clean.

[Cousin Jack]

Never had an Officejet Pro, so I can't help on that.

What I can offer is that on an old printer I had zero problems for years, bought some cheap cartridges and it was nothing but trouble. IIRC I cleaned it about 97 times, just about got it running, and then found the ink overspill tank (yes it had one of those) was full after the cleaning and there was no obvious way of removing it to empty it.

IME printers are wonderful when they work, and a PITA when anything goes wrong.

[Rockburner]

It's £99 a pop for genuine cartridges on this printer and I can't claim them back.

WTAF??

If you're using it for work, it's a claimable outgoing.
If you'd print the sheet AT work, and they're ok with you doing that in the office, then they've no argument whatsoever if you do the same at home, and claim the costs back. I know you work for a bunch of utter c.unts, but they've got no argument against you here.

[Silly Car]

It's £99 a pop for genuine cartridges on this printer and I can't claim them back.

WTAF??

If you're using it for work, it's a claimable outgoing.
If you'd print the sheet AT work, and they're ok with you doing that in the office, then they've no argument whatsoever if you do the same at home, and claim the costs back. I know you work for a bunch of utter c.unts, but they've got no argument against you here.

£99 is an extra 220 miles at 45p per mile / 495 miles at 20p which is how I reclaim unexpensed expenses...

[Beancounter]

It's £99 a pop for genuine cartridges on this printer and I can't claim them back.

WTAF??

If you're using it for work, it's a claimable outgoing.
If you'd print the sheet AT work, and they're ok with you doing that in the office, then they've no argument whatsoever if you do the same at home, and claim the costs back. I know you work for a bunch of utter c.unts, but they've got no argument against you here.

Yup, I'd agree and I probably will try to claim them back after softening up my line manager a bit. Expenses, somewhat understandably, are coming under scrutiny. I took my team out for lunch last August to thank them for the extra work they were all doing, all approved by my line manager but it's been knocked back twice.

It's £99 a pop for genuine cartridges on this printer and I can't claim them back.

WTAF??

If you're using it for work, it's a claimable outgoing.
If you'd print the sheet AT work, and they're ok with you doing that in the office, then they've no argument whatsoever if you do the same at home, and claim the costs back. I know you work for a bunch of utter c.unts, but they've got no argument against you here.

£99 is an extra 220 miles at 45p per mile / 495 miles at 20p which is how I reclaim unexpensed expenses...

45p per mile?!!! I get 11p per mile because of the car allowance. First world problems just now I guess.

[Silly Car]

I haven’t done a single expensed mile in the last 12 months